


home is where my love is

by wartransmission



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Life in St. Petersburg, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-12-08 11:18:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11645484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wartransmission/pseuds/wartransmission
Summary: In Russia, somehow, he finds home more easily than he’d thought he would.It helps, somewhat, that he fostered his admiration for Viktor at an age where loving something meantloving something; where devotion is the fuel for learning something new, learning something different, all for the sake of understanding the language that his idol grew up with.And yet, Viktor doesn’t know that he knows any Russian up until St. Petersburg, while they’re training at his home rink.





	home is where my love is

It’s surprisingly easy, getting into the rhythm of life in St. Petersburg with Viktor.

He had expected worse, initially. He had expected something a little more like his experience at Detroit, where he had gotten lost far too easily in the metaphorical and literal sense in a new and foreign world, and he had felt homesick more times than he could count with a quiet desperation for home by Vicchan’s side.

In Russia, somehow, he finds home more easily than he’d thought he would.

It helps, somewhat, that he fostered his admiration for Viktor at an age where loving something meant _loving something;_ where devotion is the fuel for learning something new, learning something different, all for the sake of understanding the language that his idol grew up with.

(Perhaps a little too late, he realizes that Russian isn’t the language Viktor best communicates with- it’s his _skating_. His dancing, his body weaving its words as loudly or as quietly as it can, is the voice that Viktor uses to say what he means.)

And yet, Viktor doesn’t know that he knows any Russian up until St. Petersburg, while they’re training at his home rink.

It’s not because he doesn’t want him to know, or because it’s a secret he’s ashamed of. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about when it comes to admiring Viktor, because _who wouldn’t_? He’s absolutely certain he’s not the only fan who would’ve gone to the lengths that he did just to feel a little closer to the man he’s admired.

But.

He’s a perfectionist, which doubles the anxiety always sitting in the pit of his stomach. How bad would it even _be_ , if he tried speaking Russian and mangled the language just because his tongue isn’t used to forming the letters around the words that he needs?

In St. Petersburg, he is forced to let this go. And, for all that he hates the anxiety ever-present in his blood, he understands that it helps him be more prepared for the things to come. He over-plans, overdoes things, thinks of the contingencies before he even has to, and while it doesn’t stop him from crashing and burning sometimes, it helps him be a little less scared to know that he’s at least somewhat prepared.

Then there are the times when he doesn’t come prepared, at all, and his perfectionistic mind has a metaphorical “ _fuck it_ ” moment (as Phichit has called it) and he doesn’t concern himself with the consequences, which leads to him popping a landing, crashing face first into the barrier, or-

 _“_ Я могу сделать еще один раунд _!”_

Viktor almost crashes into the barrier he’d stopped at when Yuuri half-yells the words at him, his pale hands gripping at the ledge saving him from tripping over himself as he stares in shock at Yuuri.

Yuuri blinks twice in succession and stops mid-slide, skating over to where Viktor is and giving him a concerned once-over. He knows that his stamina is better than Viktor’s ever since they began with his training in Hasetsu a year ago, but he didn’t think that Viktor would be tired enough that he’d _stumble._ When Viktor doesn’t bother to explain his sudden almost-crash and odd gawping, he asks, “что не так?”

“The hell, _katsudon_?”

Yurio is frozen stiff where he is at the side of the rink when Yuuri looks at him, his face curiously contorted into a mix of affront and bewilderment. Then Yurio says, “Since when do you speak _Russian?_ ” and Yuuri feels the delayed impact of just what it was that he _did._

He swallows back his sudden anxiety, manages to say, “С сегодняшнего дня. You heard me.”

Yurio grows a worrying shade of red and Yuuri doesn’t laugh, even when his brain wants to. It’s far too easy to rile Yurio up. “Did you understand us this whole time?!” Yurio yells, looking more betrayed than he should, given that he hasn’t even said anything incriminating around him.

 _Viktor_ , on the other hand…

“Just a bit?” he confesses with a slight shrug. Then he peeks over at Viktor, sees the still-shocked look on his face, and he bites his lip to stifle a snort of laughter. Looking back to Yurio, he says, “You talk too quickly for me to understand, sometimes, but I can understand the other things a little.” He pauses, considering whether or not he should tease Viktor, before finally saying, “I _did_ notice Viktor telling the others how he’s so proud of his _future husband-_ ” at this, he looks and sees Viktor wilting with a flush of embarrassment on his face, “-and it’s a little cute, but I figured you never meant for me to understand so I just.” He gives another, smaller shrug. “Didn’t mention it.”

“Then,” Viktor says, visibly shaking himself from his shock to let a wide, sunny smile grow on his face, “you understood Yakov’s praises?”

Yuuri face heats at the reminder of _that_ , before looking over the barrier to see the bothered look on Yakov’s face. “Yes, I did,” he says, voice cracking a bit, before bowing his head slightly in apology. “I’m sorry I didn’t say anything.”

“There was 95% more criticism than praise, stop being so full of yourself,” Yurio scoffs.

Georgi, having stopped from practicing his jumps the moment that he noticed Yakov distracted by the rink side, skates over to them with an amused look. (Yuuri really, _really_ hopes that Yakov won’t get angry at him for distracting three of his skaters.) He stops by the barrier to get the ice shavings off his skates, and says, “It’s still more praise than the usual to have him compare Yuuri to Vitya, in any case.”

“Is it?” Mila interjects, and Yuuri is thankful his heart doesn’t stop in its beating at her sudden appearance. She skates past him and into Yurio, who doesn’t even stumble as he does start snarling when she weaves an arm over his shoulders. “From what I remember, he was comparing Yuuri’s stubbornness with Vitya’s, not really his skill for skating.”

Yuuri remembers it as something a little more than that, with Yakov comparing so much of his personality to Viktor’s- which is an almost inconceivable concept, given their differences. And yet it’s true; for all that Yuuri poses a problem on the opposite side of the spectrum with Viktor’s extreme friendliness with everyone he does and doesn’t know, they’re both the same kind of willful and ambitious that gives Yakov more stress than is necessary.

“And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that,” Viktor says cheerfully, his heart-shaped mouth so endearing that Yuuri can’t help a fond smile. Viktor notices this, predictably enough, and smiles a little wider in response. “My Yuuri may be just as stubborn as me, but that only adds to his charm.” There’s a pause, then he smiles that smile that presages a cutting remark, and says, “In much the same way that he’s been stubbornly hiding that he knows ру́сский язы́к this whole time!”

Yuuri’s smile falters, heat rising up to his cheeks as he nervously picks at the edges of his gloves. He makes to say something, probably argue his point on this whole thing, but Georgi says, “It’s not his fault you didn’t notice, Vitya. It shouldn’t be a surprise, given that he was more than willing to come here even when English isn’t the first language.”

Viktor smile falters. “But-”

Mila waves a hand as though to dismiss any of Viktor’s arguments, letting herself be pushed away from Yurio as he huffs and goes back to practicing his step sequences. She says, “You’d have realized sooner if you asked any of our other rink mates.”

Yuuri freezes.

Viktor’s eyes gleam with a kind of curiosity that has Yuuri sweating despite the cool temperature of the rink. It’s worsened when Viktor actually bothers to ask (because why _wouldn’t_ he), “What do you mean, Milochka?”

“He’s been talking to Lyosha and Mitya in bits and pieces of Russian just these past few weeks, from what I’ve heard,” Mila says with a wide, mischievous smile. Yurio, from a distance, looks betrayed.

 _Yuuri_ feels betrayed.

“Yuuri!” Viktor cries, “ _why?_ I’m your _fiancé_! You could have told me first!”

“I just wanted to know where the pantry and bathroom was,” Yuuri says in his defense, before letting out a _whoosh_ of breath when Viktor skates over to grab him in a hug. “Viktor!” he chastises, quickly finding his balance before they can both topple over. “That was dangerous!”

“хватит!” Yakov yells, making Yuuri flinch at the loudness of his voice. Everyone else remains unaffected by this, which is a testament to how used they are to Yakov yelling. (Yuuri gets the feeling it’s more often because of Viktor being hard-headed that they’re used to Yakov’s tirades, than because of the other skaters.) “Get back to skating! Milochka, go practice your jumps! Zhora, I want to see you practicing those step sequences! Vitya-”

「はい, はい。」Viktor laughs, clearly unconcerned as he starts tugging Yuuri into skating with him towards the barrier exit.

Yuuri can’t help a laugh too, feeling a little tingly at the sound of his mother tongue in Viktor’s voice. Yakov groans his complaints but quiets down when Yuuri frees himself (with much difficulty) from Viktor’s hold to go back to practicing his compulsory figures. Viktor makes his complaints at him, because _why not_ , but soon settles down when Yuuri gathers some of his courage to blow a kiss his way.

After that, well.

It’s a lot easier to feel at home, knowing that these people can accept him as he is, perfect Russian or not.

**Author's Note:**

> Here's my entry for Day 6 of Yuuri week! It's a little late, but I was exhausted from work yesterday so I had to sleep first ;;; As always, let me know in the comments what u think! Thank you so much for reading!! ♥♥
> 
> And please note, I can't actually speak/write Japanese or Russian, so if anyone wants to correct me on anything, please let me know! ♥
> 
> Translation Note:  
> Я могу сделать еще один раунд! = I can do one more round!  
> что не так? = What's wrong?  
> С сегодняшнего дня. = Since today.  
> ру́сский язы́к = Russian language  
> хватит! = Enough!  
> はい, はい。 = Yes, yes.


End file.
